The Cheating Masque
by DarylDixon'sgirl1985
Summary: Masquerade!AU. Harry Potter finds out the hard way that his wife of almost ten years is cheating on him. Not just cheating on him, but cheating on him with their best friend Luna Lovegood. But will a someone new come along help Harry learn to forget the hurt and pain? Will Harry be able to find love with Theo, or is the hurt from what Ginny did strong enough to keep him down?


**Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Northern Funfair's Winter Bingo, Southern Funfair's Light the Menorah, Eastern Funfair's Christmas Crackers, Pinata Club, Galleons Club, and Assorted Appreciation on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. **

**Northern Funfair's Winter Bingo: 60. Masquerade!AU**

**Southern Funfair's Light the Menorah: (character) Theo Nott**

**Eastern Funfair's Christmas Crackers: Angst/A break up/"I was never good enough for her."**

**Pinata Club: Medium Harry Potter**

**Galleons Club: (pairing) Ginny/Luna**

**Assorted Appreciation: Daddy's Home "Damn, this is my favorite song!" (bonus) **

**Warning for cheating on a spouse, and mentions of divorce. Also slight out of character for Ginny Weasley-Potter. Word count is 1,074 words. I hope you all enjoy The Cheating Masque.**

Harry Potter looked around him for the familiar flash of red hair that belonged to his wife, Ginny. She'd promised to meet him here earlier on in the afternoon. After she was the one that had put together this masquerade ball. She should be here in attendance, shouldn't she?

"Are you looking for someone, handsome?" came a masculine voice behind him. One that Harry wasn't very familiar with, but sent tingles down every nerve ending in his body.

"I'm looking for Ginny Weasley-Potter," Harry said, looking around for any sign of his wife. Any sign at all. "Have you seen her…"

"Theodore," the man said, holding out his hand for Harry to shake. "Theodore Nott."

"Have you my wife, Theodore Nott?"

"Theo's fine." The tall slim man laughed heartily and Harry wanted to find any way he could to make the sound continue. "I haven't seen Ginny yet. But I heard that she went off with Luna Lovegood a short while after she arrived. If that helps?"

"It does," Harry said quickly. "Did you hear where they went?"

"I think they went to go check something in the coat room," Theo said, taking Harry by the arm and led him towards the coat room. Speeding his way past all the dancing couples in masks and costumes. Theo couldn't help himself from wondering if he was doing the right thing in showing Harry what his wife was doing in the coat closet. He didn't want to hurt the dark haired green-eyed man but he also thought Harry should know what was happening.

"Are you sure they're in there?" Harry asked, hearing the moaning sounds coming from the coat room.

Theo nodded.

Harry opened the door slowly. He wasn't prepared for what he saw on the other side of the door. He wishes he can unsee what he's seeing. But nothing can make him unsee it. The scene in front of him is etched on his eyelids like a scolding reminder of what a fool he was.

Standing in the middle of the coat room in varying states of undress were Ginny and Luna. The two of them were in mid-make out as they shed their clothes. It was obvious that something had been going on between the two of them for a while now. More than a few weeks. Hell more than a few months.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked, causing the two women to break apart.

Ginny had the decency to blush slightly as she quickly tugged her shirt back over her head. She whispered something to Luna, who nodded. Then she walked over and grabbed Harry's arm. She looked angry. She actually had the nerve to look angry with Harry.

"What's going on here, Gin?" Harry asked, yanking his arm away from his wife. "What's going on between you and Luna?"

"Harry," Ginny said, slowly taking a deep breath, "I didn't want you to find out this way. I really didn't. But I think we're over."

"What? How can we be over? Ginny we're married to each other. Didn't the past ten years mean anything to you?"

"It was fun, Harry. But that's all that it really was. Luna makes me feel something that you don't. With Luna everything feels more natural and like it was meant to be. Unlike with us. We felt forced and you can't tell me that's not true. I know you felt it too."

"But…"

"This isn't a discussion, Harry. I've already filed the paper. You should be getting them any day now."

"Ginny…"

"I don't love you any more Harry," Ginny yelled, causing several passersby to look at the couple in concern. Ginny waved the people away. "I don't love you. I don't think I ever really did." She sighed as she reached out for Harry's hand and patting it sympathetically. "I love Luna. I think I've always loved Luna. I'm sorry, Harry. I have to go now."

Harry watched as Ginny walked back into the coat closet. He wasn't expecting this turn of events. He heard a giggle as the door closed and the thud of a body hitting the door. His stomach turned as the moaning that had been going on before hand returned. He had to get away from the room and its occupants as fast as he could.

Harry walked out of the hotel they were holding the masquerade ball in as fast as feet could carry him. He didn't need to be here. He didn't really want to be here any more. He needed to get away from this place. He should probably go pack his things before Ginny got home and did it for him.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like that," Theo's voice said from behind Harry. "But I thought you should know what your wife was doing behind your back."

"Ex-wife," Harry said miserably.

"I'm sorry," Theo said, putting a hand gently on Harry's back and soothingly rubbing it. "Do you want to talk about it."

"There's not really much to say. I was never good enough for her, but she was always more than good enough for me. I wish I understood what I did wrong."

"You did nothing wrong."

"But that's the point. I did nothing wrong and still I am the one that ends up getting hurt in the end. It's not fair."

"It's not." Theo pulled Harry into his arms. "I think that maybe you need to stop thinking about it. Try and get over it." A smile stretched his face. "Here let me help you." Held out a hand as a slow song started playing. "Damn, this is my favorite song! You have to come dance with me to this."

Harry was about to say no. To say that even though Ginny wasn't loyal to him he was still loyal to her, but then he stopped. He didn't have to be loyal to her anymore. She'd given him the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

"I think I will," Harry said, taking the outstretched hand and allowing himself to be led out onto the dance floor.

As the two men swayed on the dance floor in perfect harmony, nothing else mattered. Not all the masked faces turned towards them. Not Ginny. Not Luna. Not anything. For the first time since learning his wife was cheating on him Harry felt that maybe he could move on. He would move on. With Theo.

**I hope you all enjoyed The Cheating Masque as much as I enjoyed writing it. **


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